Kaye Sawyer Pitts, 83, of Gloucester, died as she lived—peacefully and quietly. She was born Nov. 18, 1927 in Greenville, N.C., to Myrtle Ward Woolard Sawyer and George Leon Sawyer. She grew up in Pennsylvania and in Newport News. She passed away on March 30, 2011 at Riverside Regional Hospital after a brief illness.

At Newport News High School she met William E. "Billy" Pitts, whom she married Aug. 7, 1946, and with whom she formed a great 60-year dancing duo. Their daughters are Linda Pitts Soucek (Howie) of Franklin, Va., and Donna Pitts Sterling (Wayne) of Mathews County, Va.

She will be greatly missed by her granddaughters, Melanie Sterling Hamilton (Jeff) and Stephanie Sterling Robins (Russ) of Gloucester; her grandsons, Allen Soucek of Charlotte, N.C., and Mathias Soucek of Virginia Beach; and her great-granddaughters, Haley Marie Hamilton and Zhanna Victoria Soucek.

Predeceased by her brother, Preston Woolard, Kaye is survived by her beloved sisters, Bernice Geddings of Gloucester Point, Georgie Ihlefield and Virginia Morriss of Waverly; a slew of special nieces and nephews; treasured friend and sister-of-the-heart, Audrey McNamara; and dear friends, and children-of-the-heart.

Kaye was a Sunday school teacher at Grace United Methodist Church in Newport News. In Gloucester she wasemployed at Morgan’s Drug Store. Most recently, she volunteered at the Gloucester Visitors Center and at the Gloucester-Mathews Humane Society.

Her family thanks the loving and compassionate nurses, aides, and doctors who attended to Kaye’s needs during this difficult time, especially the professionals associated with 5 West at Riverside Regional and special thanks to Drs. John Mattern and Peter Zullo.

Contributions in her memory can be made to the Gloucester-Mathews Humane Society, 6722 Sutton Road, Gloucester, Va. 23061.

The family will celebrate her life April 9 at 11 a.m. in Bellamy United Methodist Church, located off Belroi Road at 4870 Chestnut Fork Road in Gloucester.

Fighting the good fight, she never gave in. She merely changed her mind and joined Billy to continue dancing.